Starting a new job can be a daunting and nerve-wracking time, especially if it’s a job you have had little to no experience in. Our three new Account Executives here at DHR Communications have put together some of their top tips for all new PR professionals.

Louise, Account Executive

Stay up-to-date with news and current affairs

These days news is reported 24/7 so PR professionals need to stay up-to-date. Know what is being said about your client and your industry before someone asks! Know the context and climate in which it is being said. Watch the news, listen to the radio, read the papers, scroll through online news sites and monitor social media. You’ll be acing all the current affairs questions at your local table quiz in no time! Bonus tip for Twitter: follow lots of journalists. You might be pitching to them one day!

Never pass up an opportunity to try something new

One of the best things about working in PR is that no two days are ever the same. One day you could be completely office based, and another day you could be introducing Dublin footballer, Ciarán Kilkenny, to a life-size dog! That was one of my more unusual work days recently but one of the most enjoyable! Jump at the chance to get involved in anything and everything. Go along to workshops and lectures. Learn from those who are more experienced and who are more than willing to pass on their wisdom. You won’t regret it!

Stephen, Account Executive

Ask questions

While curiosity may have killed the cat, it certainly made the public relations practitioner. Having just completed my first month as an Account Executive I can say without a doubt that the greatest weapon you can possess in your arsenal is an inquisitive mind and a thirst for knowledge. You need to understand that going into a new PR job that you won’t know everything (the complete opposite actually), and that it will take you a while to catch up and understand what is going on with different client accounts, and within the company itself. Never be afraid to ask questions as PR is an industry where you can never know too much.

Learn from your mistakes

We all make mistakes. After all, we’re only human. The important thing is to learn from them in order to avoid making them again in the future. You can grow from your mistakes and gain knowledge and experience. Learning from your mistakes is a vital process that you should embrace. After all, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

David, Account Executive

Be enthusiastic from day oneThe first day in a new job is always going to be daunting. When entering a new working environment, with new faces and new ways of doing things, the key is to remain positive and embrace the change with a broad smile. By taking an enthusiastic approach about your work, and by demonstrating your excitement at getting stuck in, you will soon find yourself settling into your new role. Your presence should feel like a positive addition to the office.

Don’t forget to bring your experienceIt’s important to remember that you were probably hired on the basis of your previous working or educational experience, so don’t be shy about applying it to your new job. It may take a while to become accustomed to how things are done in the office, but if you see areas where there is a better way to do things, don’t be afraid to talk about it or to share your ideas with other members of the office. And of course, it goes without saying, to always be open to learning new ideas and building on that bank of experience in your new role.